Methods and devices for detecting the tendency of a vehicle to roll over are known in various modifications from the related art.
German Patent No. 44 16 991 describes a method and a device for warning the driver of a truck of the risk of roll over when turning a corner. To do so, the type of vehicle and the relevant status data for the risk of roll over are determined before the vehicle enters the turn, and the risk of roll over or the critical speed limit for the latter is determined as a function of the radius of the curve and the center of gravity of the vehicle. A signal prompting the driver to reduce his speed is triggered when the prevailing road speed of the vehicle is the reason for the risk of roll over or a predetermined safety margin from the risk of roll over is no longer met. The vehicle's road speed at which there is with certainty no risk of roll over is determined on the basis of a roll-over equation. The roll-over equation includes the vehicle speed, the curve radius traveled by the vehicle, the height of the vehicle's center of gravity above the road surface and the wheel load imbalance. The wheel loads are determined with the help of wheel load sensors embedded in the road surface. If the road speed of the vehicle no longer meets a predetermined safety margin from the road speed at the limit of the risk of roll over, a signal is generated, warning the driver of the vehicle of excessive speed in turning the curve. The signal indicating excessive speed is triggered until the measured road speed has been reduced to an extent that rules out any risk of roll over. Furthermore, German Patent No. 44 16 991 shows that the wheel slip of the vehicle's wheels on the road surface can be determined and taken into account in evaluating the risk of roll over.
An object of the present invention is to improve upon the method and the device detecting the tendency of a vehicle to roll over.